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The Mic Is on in Search of Pirates!

July 11, 2006 by Liz 335 Comments

It’s Like Open Mike Only Different

Here’s how it works.

The rules are simple — be nice.

It’s like any rambling conversation. Don’t try to read it all. Jump in whenever you get here. . . . Just go to the end and start talking. EVERYONE is WELCOME.

Some things we might talk about could include

  • .pirates.
  • crayons and legos
  • uban legends
  • vacations.

AND THE EVER POPULAR,

What are the code-writing donkey and the drinking moose doing tonight?

A link anyone to was a member of the DCI related to one of the points above.

Keep an eye our for the Jolly Roger!

–ME “Liz” Strauss

Related articles
The Mic is ON. It’s Thassos Island, Greece!
The Mic in ON in Tuscany!

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Filed Under: Blog Comments, Community, SOB Business, Successful Blog Tagged With: bc, blog_promotion, discussion, letting_off_steam, living-social-media, Open_Comment_Night

Comments

  1. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:01 PM

    Hello!

    Reply
  2. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:02 PM

    Hi Trisha!
    How is the pirate garden?

    Reply
  3. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:04 PM

    Greetings me harties,

    Thought I’d drop in and watch the chatter tonight. Thanks to Cuileann for inviting me!

    Arrrr,
    Anton

    Reply
  4. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:04 PM

    fine – the pirates are growing well!

    Reply
  5. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:04 PM

    What kind of stuff do you mulch them with?

    Reply
  6. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:05 PM

    maybe that’s the problem – I’ve been using salt water

    Reply
  7. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:06 PM

    You’d think they’d like that. Maybe some old shivering timbers and some arghhhhichokes.

    Reply
  8. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:09 PM

    Hi Anton,
    Sorry to keep you in the brig there. I was checking the trade winds.

    Reply
  9. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:09 PM

    Ahoy!

    I hear seaweed would be a great mulch.

    Reply
  10. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:09 PM

    maybe I need a parrot – I like parrots, my husband doesn’t though – he says we can’t have one – not even a macaw.

    Reply
  11. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:09 PM

    I sure hope the jokes get better, remember we have to impress good ol Jolly Roger……

    Reply
  12. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:09 PM

    seaweed – didn’t think of that!

    Reply
  13. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:10 PM

    Anyone up for starting an urban legend on how pirates invented crayons while on vacation?

    Reply
  14. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:10 PM

    Ahoy! Joe!
    Did you bring some jokes with you?

    Reply
  15. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:12 PM

    Sorry, I’m the only Joke I know !?!?

    Reply
  16. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:12 PM

    Blimey!
    We’ve got crowd on the poop deck!

    Does everybody know everybody? You guys say hello to Anton. He’s new here!

    Reply
  17. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:14 PM

    Hi everyone!
    Hi Anton — I’m glad you could make it!
    Sorry I’m a few minutes late. How bad of me to invite someone and then show up after they do. Someone’s got to teach this girl a lesson!

    Reply
  18. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:14 PM

    hello Anton!

    Reply
  19. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:14 PM

    Hello new here…

    Reply
  20. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:14 PM

    Anton,
    You need to know that crayons were part of the pirates treasure. They’re very special here.

    We keep them in the sidebar — along with snack and beverages — which tonight i guess would be grog and weevils.

    Reply
  21. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:15 PM

    Okay Who thinks Cuileann should have to walk the plank?

    Reply
  22. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:16 PM

    Hi, Anton!

    Reply
  23. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:17 PM

    Yeah, or clean the heads (i.e. toilets). My folks are big sailors so I’ve got a bit of the jargon. A very little bit.

    Reply
  24. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:17 PM

    Can we fry the weevils, or do we have to eat them sun-baked?

    Reply
  25. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:17 PM

    Ok,
    I know I’m not seeing things, I just saw Cuileann’s comment now it’s gone…

    Jamie gotta gun,

    Reply
  26. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:18 PM

    Ok,
    Janie

    Reply
  27. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:18 PM

    Here you go with some pirate talk

    Pirate talk links:

    http://www.puzzlepirates.com/Vocabulary.xhtml
    http://www.fortunecity.com/rivendell/gallows/954/fsuns/pirspeak.htm#

    Reply
  28. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:20 PM

    Anton works with my husband, and he has a brilliant wit. He wrote an excellent tongue-in-cheek article about his experience with Verizon. He turned it into a how-to on how to get out of your contract without paying a fee. I’m gonna find the link…just a sec….

    Reply
  29. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:20 PM

    Rick,
    You can be the cook of this here ship until we all get scurvy. Then I pick Joe.

    Reply
  30. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:20 PM

    Thanks all for the welcome!

    I think the plank is a bit harsh for Cuileann. That should be reserved for someone who eats the last crayon or drinks the last of the grog.

    Reply
  31. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:21 PM

    That’s it, Anton!
    You got it. No crayon eating on this brig.

    We’ll let Cuileann go.

    Reply
  32. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:22 PM

    Hey there. I see some new and familiar faces tonight.

    Reply
  33. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:23 PM

    Here’s one for ya…

    Where did the term “shiver me timbers” come from?

    Reply
  34. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:23 PM

    Avast ye scurvy maties! They’ll be no paying of fees on this here brigantine unless you’d be wantin to stand before the mast!

    Reply
  35. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:23 PM

    But at least it would be over a lot faster than cleaning the head – with a toothbrush 😮

    Reply
  36. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:24 PM

    RE: Verizon

    Unfortunately Verizon started sending out new terms that allow them to charge the early termination fee even if they initiate the cancellation 🙁

    I have not yet gotten one but a few people on evdoforums.com have posted about the letter.

    When did it become good practice to litigate and fee your customers to death?

    Reply
  37. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:24 PM

    Without looking it up, Joe, I’d guess that Shiver me Timbers was a Popeye-ism.

    Reply
  38. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:24 PM

    I don’t know – where did ‘shiver me timbers’ come from?

    Reply
  39. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:25 PM

    Hint:

    A shiver is an old term for a splinter…

    Reply
  40. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:27 PM

    Shiver me timbers has to do with when a blast from a cannon hits the wood of ship and causes the wood to “shiver.” It’s a real term from history. We saw it on the History Channel. So it MUST be true.

    Reply
  41. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    http://anton.lr2.com/archives/2006/07/06/howto-cancel-a-verizon-evdo-contract-without-paying/

    Finally, here’s that link to Anton’s stuff. Sorry for the delay.

    I thought their letter said they were waiving any fee. Hopefully they won’t come after you anyway.

    Reply
  42. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    Timbers refer to the mast and spars that hold the sails up. To shiver them would mean to reduce them to splinters rendering the ship immobile.

    Reply
  43. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    Liz WINS!!!

    I saw the same show…

    Reply
  44. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    My mistake, Joe. Upon further review it was popularized by Robert Louis Stevenson who had Long John Silver say it in his book Treasure Island.

    Reply
  45. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:28 PM

    Anton,
    When did it become good practice to litigate and fee your customers to death?
    Telcos don’t have customers they have prisoners.

    THEY ARE PIRATES!!!

    Reply
  46. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:29 PM

    This entry on Phrases.org.uksays it was first used in a novel in 1834 by Frederick Marryat.

    Reply
  47. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:30 PM

    Joe,
    People are supposed to know you already know the answer. 🙂

    Reply
  48. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:30 PM

    Verizon told me via phone that they would waive the fee. I guess if they don’t they’ll be getting an earful. Anyone want to round up the execs and corporate lawyers and make them walk the plank?

    Reply
  49. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:30 PM

    Interesting explanation of the pirate ship terms. Wow…it’s like we’re all literate or something.

    I guess we’re examples of the school system working.

    Reply
  50. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:31 PM

    Ok. Ok. As long as we are talking about nautical terms, why do sailors call the bathroom a “head”?

    Reply
  51. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:32 PM

    Let’s see in the last month. I’ve dumped on AT&T/SBC and Sprint/Nextel. And Anton got Verizon. Who’d we miss?

    Reply
  52. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:32 PM

    Cuileann, we are either edu-ma-cated or we know how to use Google. One or the other! 🙂

    Reply
  53. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:33 PM

    Thanks for your plank-mercy for me guys.

    The telcos might not be so lucky!

    Reply
  54. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:33 PM

    Hi .. I’ll be around in about 1-1/2 hours, but thought I would start with the jokes periodically .. Prime Time TV reality nut here .. Big Brother, Canadian Idol, Supernova, Last Comic Standing .. etc etc

    ~~~~~

    Q. How much did the pirate pay for his peg leg and hook?
    A. An arm and a leg.

    ~~~~~

    Q. Where can you find a pirate who has lost his wooden legs?

    A. Right where you left him.

    ~~~~

    Q. How much does a pirate pay to get his ears pierced?

    A. AAARRRGGG! A BUCK AN EAR!

    Reply
  55. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:33 PM

    Just on my way out for a bit, but I’ll be checking back in in a little bit.

    Reply
  56. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:33 PM

    We fired Cingular when we moved to Savannah. Horrific customer service after having been a customer for over 5 years…

    Reply
  57. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:34 PM

    I dropped my Cingular plan today.

    I now have Sprint for both voice and data. Sprint’s EVDO seems to perform slightly better at home than Verizion did and it hasn’t dropped me once in 24 hours.

    Reply
  58. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:34 PM

    Nah. Just a quick hand at tacking into the wind as we use Google (for this landlubber, at least)

    Reply
  59. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:38 PM

    Okay Hart.

    We’ll catch up later. I remember that Canada doesn’t have the option for TiVo. It drives me crazy when I’ve been up there! Likewise, our folks marvel when they see it down here.

    Reply
  60. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:38 PM

    There is no phone service. That is an oxymoron.

    Reply
  61. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:38 PM

    I dropped T-Mobile for AT&T about 3 years ago because they wouldn’t let me in on the new customer pricing for new phones even though I’d been a customer for 5 years without a contract.

    AT&T of course became Cingular and I managed to wrangle a free phone when they forced me to switch. Then I move to Texas and Cingular coverage sucks so I just dropped them.

    So far Sprint isn’t sucking but I’m sure it’s just a matter of time.

    Reply
  62. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:40 PM

    Cingular is great, but you have to deal with AT&T to get through to them.

    Reply
  63. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:41 PM

    Glad Sprint’s working out, Anton. We’re with AT&T and they’ve been pretty reliable for us. Thinking of trying Time Warner for everything (cable, digital phone, Internet) when we move into our new house.

    Reply
  64. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:43 PM

    I have Verizon phone, wireless, and DSL. I’ve been lucky, and haven’t had any problems – yet. I gave up on their service when I was calling them for a tenant at work and the only way to get a real life actual person on the phone was to confuse the voice mail system so much by speaking total gibberish that it gave up and handed me off to a real person.

    Reply
  65. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:43 PM

    I know you’ve had a bad time with AT&T Liz (hence your awesome post about that). For now, we’ve just been sticking with the devil we know.

    Reply
  66. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:44 PM

    Evening all. Just got here. Haven’t gone back to read things yet — anyone wanna shoot me a quick synopsis?

    PS. Has Starbucker shown up yet?

    Reply
  67. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:45 PM

    I posted one today about a worse experience with Sprint/Nextel.

    Reply
  68. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:45 PM

    I’m heading home now. I’ll be back online in about 30 mins.

    Reply
  69. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:48 PM

    The Cingular store here in Savannah must be horribly managed then, Liz, because our experience here was abysmal. And the folks in the store here couldn’t really help us after making us wait for an hour to be attended to. They just got on the line with their call center and went through the same rigmarole that we went through before we went to the store.

    Since the person in the store wasn’t communicating our problem with any effect, we left and called the call center again. Then, after going through two levels of supervisors/managers they managed to drive Gorgeous to tears.

    I nearly throttled the manager through the phone. We tried so hard to stay with them and they drove us away. We’ve been with Alltel since. And it was a whole different customer service experience. At least here in Savannah.

    Reply
  70. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:48 PM

    Ahoy, matey. Cuileann has been saved from walking the plank. Grub is by me until you get scurvy ( you are looking a little peaked). The phone companies are piratical monopolies that hold you prisoner giving you as little as they can to get all they can.

    Reply
  71. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:49 PM

    Ben!
    No pirate talk, Bucko? Where’s the coding donkey?

    Reply
  72. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:49 PM

    Getting back to Chris’s point about all of us maybe just getting bits of info from google. The keynote speaker at the Writers’ League of Texas Agents and Editors Conference had a pessimistic, if not apocalyptic, view of where our society’s going. People just getting little bits of info out of context from a search engine, a sort of pseudo-knowledge, rather than really a full book. I’m more optimistic than that.

    Reply
  73. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:51 PM

    Liz – the donkey’s working on the Fawlty Towers project, that’s why I was hoping to see Starbucker. The donkey may be hitting the road soon!

    Hhhm…pirate talk. Well, us Canadians already have a piratey accent, eh?

    Reply
  74. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:51 PM

    Chris,
    Once again, it all comes down to the people. Take care of the people. Get the right ones and treat ’em right and the company works.

    Reply
  75. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:52 PM

    Cuileann,
    Your writers’ group leader sounds like someone who sees the downside. I think it depends on who it is that’s searching.

    Reply
  76. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:53 PM

    Ben,
    I’ve not seen Starbucker yet. I like your Canadian accent idea. Maybe all Canadians are pirates. HART sure left a lot of pirate jokes earlier. Hmmmm.

    Reply
  77. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:54 PM

    While we were waiting that hour we watched them turn away an older gentleman who brought in his check to pay his bill. They pointed him to the ATM like kiosk in the corner for bill paying. The guy couldn’t handle the technology and just wanted to save the cost of the stamp and be sure they received his payment.

    They literally refused to accept his money. And he walked out of the store with his check still in hand. I felt so bad for him.

    Reply
  78. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:56 PM

    Ok, here is first hand knowledge for ya…

    It takes exactly 23 comments to get to the Beer Store and Back…
    😉

    Reply
  79. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:56 PM

    I don’t know, Cuileann. I was reading on Michael Fortin’s blog today where he described surfers as “…click-happy, and they search for information online at the speed of electrons all with the attention span the size of a subatomic particle.” A lot of the research on the scanning behavior of surfers shows the same thing. On the other hand, a lot of people are willing to put in the research needed to get a real grasp on something.

    Reply
  80. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:56 PM

    We are known for our plundering.

    And our love of treasure.

    I’m trying to think of what else to send Starbucker along with the Fawlty Towers DVD Collection. A Montreal postcard makes sense, so we can track where the DVDs go (each person would ship the DVDs with a postcard) but I want to think of something catchier too…

    Reply
  81. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:56 PM

    Savannah has a bit of a pirate history. Kind of a result of being one of the first “big” cities close to the Caribbean.

    Reply
  82. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:57 PM

    Yeah, Ben, I guess our accents are different. Mine has turned into a bit of a freak show (mostly kidding). I use the “eh?” and still get teased down here “about” my “abouts.” And in Canada, I get teased about the odd “y’all” I let fly. And then living in England, I picked up saying “Cheers” instead of thanks sometimes. I’m just a hybrid now.

    Reply
  83. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 7:59 PM

    Cheers. Eh. Y’all.

    Wow, Cuileann, that is a mess! I can just picture some of the sentences…

    Cheers mate. How y’all doin’ eh?

    Hehe.

    Reply
  84. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:01 PM

    Cuileann, If you had spent any time in Wisconsin you could even add a “dohn ‘cha knohw” to the end of that.

    Reply
  85. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:01 PM

    Hilarious, Ben! No, I haven’t deteriorated that far — yet. : )

    Reply
  86. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:01 PM

    I don’t know if they still do, but Tampa used to celebrate Gasparilla day celebrating when the pirates took over the town. All the local civic leaders dressed up as pirates and came sailing into the bay on an old sailing ship. The mayor handed them the key to the city. They had their best parade of the year.

    Reply
  87. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:02 PM

    Hey everyone. I’m back. 🙂

    Reply
  88. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:02 PM

    Wow! I just got this really weird image of you and Basil the Donkey in a Dickens story.

    Reply
  89. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:02 PM

    Anyone know any good caricature artists?

    Basil the Donkey is thinking about having a portrait done…

    Reply
  90. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:02 PM

    Anyone know who was the most successful (notorious?) Pirate?

    Reply
  91. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:03 PM

    Who did Milton’s picture?

    Reply
  92. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:03 PM

    Cool, Chris! Maybe I’ll move there to add that phrase to my repertoire.

    Reply
  93. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:03 PM

    Milton has a picture?

    Notorious/successful pirate? Blackbeard?

    Reply
  94. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:03 PM

    Chris,
    Is the term “head” a polite way of saying the deposit of excess food that was put in the mouth (head) and out the bottom half?

    Reply
  95. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:04 PM

    Joe – did Notable (WordPress plugin) work for you? I haven’t gone back to check out your site today…

    Reply
  96. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:05 PM

    Aha! I see it did. Sweet.

    I actually got that from Steve @ Why My Blog Stinks…it’s a great plugin.

    Reply
  97. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:05 PM

    Not the way I learned it from both the Merchant Marine and the Navy, Joe…

    Reply
  98. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:06 PM

    Move to Texas and you can hear a couple of
    “might coulds” and “might oughtas”

    I’m voting for Captain Hook!!!

    Reply
  99. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:07 PM

    Hi Joe,

    That “head” reference came from me. It’s the nautical word for toilet. But, yes, the term “head” could refer to many things, couldn’t it?

    Reply
  100. John Curtis says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:08 PM

    Hey all! I’m just pausing at the Apple store in San Antonio and thought I’d drop in. There are no pirates here that I can see, but I’ll keep looking.

    Reply
  101. John Curtis says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Oh, if you don’t know me, I am Cuileann’s husband.

    Reply
  102. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Hey Ben,
    Yeah, it worked great… Thanks.
    I did thank you in comments at my house, just so everyone knows how well it worked.

    @ Chris, Jean LaFeete?

    Reply
  103. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Ben, I installed the Notable plugin today too on your recommendation. Thanks.

    Liz, wasn’t Captain Hook fictional?

    Cuileann, Head does refer to toilet. But why, eh?

    Reply
  104. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Whew! John,
    Good to know you’re keeping a lookout. We’d forgotten to keep an eye on that particular store.

    Reply
  105. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Pleased to meet you John.

    And I saw Doug come back earlier as well…hi Doug!

    Reply
  106. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:09 PM

    Hey Babe! Everybody, this is my hubby!

    Reply
  107. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:11 PM

    John, that is…John is my husband.

    Reply
  108. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:11 PM

    I’m glad it worked for you Joe. I’ve experimented with a few other plugins – so let me know if you have any other WordPress-related questions.

    I still say Blackbeard. Or was it Bluebeard? Redbeard? Fuschia Beard? I know the most famous pirate definitely had a beard…

    Reply
  109. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:11 PM

    Doug! Say something!

    Everyone, here’s more grog and limes and oranges.

    Reply
  110. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:12 PM

    People should read Doug’s blog. Simple as that.

    No artists out there? Caricature specialists? Basil really wants that picture!

    Reply
  111. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:13 PM

    Joe, I think I might have you stumped on two accounts. 😉

    Reply
  112. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:14 PM

    Curileann, Sorry I know, but Chris is (was) a nautical kinda guy, thought he may know.

    @John, keep an eye out for RedBeard too.

    Reply
  113. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:15 PM

    I think one of my comments was eaten. Chomp. Chomp. Liz, did it walk the plank?

    Reply
  114. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:16 PM

    Nah, I’m thinking Askimet hung it by the yardarm!

    Reply
  115. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:16 PM

    Actually, since we were talking about heads (and John I don’t think you’ve heard this), my step-father just got back from being on a crew trying to sail a boat from N. Carolina to Toronto. Turns out that both of the boat’s heads were broken — that led to some good times with cups and buckets. Ewww. But they didn’t make it all the way to Toronto. There was too much flooding in New York to take it through the locks so it’ll have to be trucked up.

    Reply
  116. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:16 PM

    My husband wants to know why no one has said Captain Kidd?

    I’m sticking with the fictional coward Cap’n Hook. He had the box office.

    Reply
  117. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:18 PM

    Chris, maybe I should just stop answering questions ???

    I still think I’m right, but it could be Lord Nelson (after he retired from pirating)

    Reply
  118. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:18 PM

    Hi Liz, Hi Ben!

    Reply
  119. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:18 PM

    I’ve done the “no working head” thing in the Atlantic before… On an aircraft carrier. Can you say “Eww!”?

    But that still isn’t as tricky as trying to take care of business when you are strapped to an ejection seat for 5 hours or more…

    Reply
  120. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:19 PM

    Thanks for asking ben. All of this time, I’ve had Rick Keelhauled by Askimet.

    So sorry Rick.

    Reply
  121. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:20 PM

    That’s ok Douglas you don’t have to say hi to the rest of us… 🙁

    Reply
  122. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:22 PM

    Stop it, Joe!
    We said hi to Doug. You didn’t 🙂

    Reply
  123. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:23 PM

    Ok, O.K.

    The most successful pirate of the sailing era was
    (drum roll)
    “Black Bart” Roberts. Here’s the Wikipedia entry on Roberts

    He was the original Dread Pirate Roberts.

    Reply
  124. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:23 PM

    AAAAAaaaaarrrrrrrrhhhhhhh
    😉

    Reply
  125. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:25 PM

    I like Cap’n Hook better.

    Reply
  126. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:25 PM

    Chris – he had a beard right?

    Reply
  127. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:26 PM

    I’ll give you a hint on the origins of the word “head”. Think sailing days, pre-plumbing…

    Reply
  128. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:26 PM

    Hi Joe, hi everyone else. 🙂

    Reply
  129. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:27 PM

    Ben,
    That’s so funny. Let’s name the pirate Jack.

    Reply
  130. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:28 PM

    Thanks Doug,

    @ Chris, we know when, we don’t know what, matey…

    Reply
  131. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:29 PM

    I say its the Dread Pirate Roberts – although I’ll admit I haven’t really been following this conversation too closely so I don’t really know what I’m actually answering.

    Reply
  132. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:29 PM

    Aargh! In the brig, again! Was the cooking that bad? (My wife thinks so)

    Hi again, everyone.

    Er, Ahoy!

    Reply
  133. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:29 PM

    Ben, he died just short of 40 so he might have had a beard…

    But Blackbeard was a whole different guy who was dead before Roberts started Pirating (but only by a year or two).

    Reply
  134. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:30 PM

    Hmmm…dunno if I wanna know where you’re going with that head explanation.

    But I do know that I hadn’t thought of that 5 hours in the ejection seat conundrum. The movies never portray that.

    Reply
  135. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:30 PM

    Ahoy, Trisha and Rick…

    Reply
  136. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:30 PM

    Did someone say Jack?…

    Reply
  137. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:32 PM

    Cuileann, there’s a lot of stuff that wasn’t portrayed in An Officer and a Gentleman or Top Gun…

    Reply
  138. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:32 PM

    So, now the donkey is a pirate named Jack?

    Reply
  139. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:33 PM

    I’m sure that’s very true, Chris.

    Reply
  140. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:34 PM

    Chris,
    There wasn’t a guy in either movie named Jack or Cap’n Hook and none of them had crayons either.

    Reply
  141. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:35 PM

    Sailors call the toilet the head because they would find a place up at the very front of the ship to do their busienss so that the sea water breaking at the bow would wash it away, there not being plumbing an all.

    They would say they were going to the head, which was also what they called the very front of the ship.

    Reply
  142. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:37 PM

    Chris,
    I think you should teach at Successful Blog University. We’ll have a class on Piratology.

    Reply
  143. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:37 PM

    I feel like Cliff Clavin tonight. “It’s a little known fact…”

    Reply
  144. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:37 PM

    I’m listening to Virgin Classic Rock from London… they are 5 hours ahead of my time, so this way I know what is happening before it happens here.

    Reply
  145. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:38 PM

    Funny, you don’t look a bit like Cliff Clavin, or like Norm.

    Reply
  146. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:38 PM

    Ooooh! Thanks for the explanation, Chris. That’s actually a much more pleasant scenario than some my mind had come up with.

    Reply
  147. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:39 PM

    Liz, I’m not really an expert on Pirates. I just happen to have a formal nautical education. So I know some piratey things. [*whispers* arrrrrrgggghhhh…]

    Reply
  148. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:39 PM

    Joe,
    Wait until Cat shows up. It’s already tomorrow there. We’ll be sure that the sun is going to rise again. We’ll be able to sleep in peace tonight.

    Reply
  149. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:40 PM

    That’s okay, Chris. I own the University. I can give you tenure. Then it won’t matter if you know anything. 🙂

    Reply
  150. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:42 PM

    Hello all!

    Reply
  151. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:42 PM

    Talk about a time warp…
    We can all talk at the same time and it isn’t the same time whever we are.
    And we can learn about Pirates.

    Reply
  152. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:42 PM

    Actually Liz I know lots of stuff. I’m just not sure how useful much of it is. My dad used to say I had a very trivial mind.

    I still haven’t figured out if it is a good thing or not.

    Reply
  153. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:42 PM

    Hey Christine!

    Reply
  154. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:42 PM

    Christine!
    Know any pirate songs?

    Reply
  155. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:43 PM

    Rats… my hello was the very last post on page six. i think i got missed. hello again…

    Reply
  156. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:43 PM

    I don’t know anything about pirates. Except they all have beards, even the women.

    Hi Christine!

    Reply
  157. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:43 PM

    Oh hey, you saw me!

    Pirate Days by Mary Chapin Carpenter. Very sad song. But beautiful.

    Reply
  158. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:43 PM

    Rats are piratey things…

    Reply
  159. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:44 PM

    But beyond, yo ho ho and a bottle of rum… i can’t think of anything else very pirate-y. I like the word pirate though. Isn’t it a good word?

    Reply
  160. ah Pek says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:44 PM

    Hi Liz, Hi Everybody!!
    it’s 9.42 am in Malaysia. I think you guys are preparing for bed?
    Sunny whether today after 2 days of rain.

    Reply
  161. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:45 PM

    Hi Christine.

    Reply
  162. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:45 PM

    Hey Christine,
    Do you know “Yo Ho Mo the men down”?

    Reply
  163. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:45 PM

    Howdy ah Pek.

    *shivers* No rum for me please. Brings back some unpleasant memories. Do pirates drink gin & tonic?

    Reply
  164. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:46 PM

    I feel very out of place tonight. 😛

    Reply
  165. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:46 PM

    Hi, ah Pek! No, not quite bedtime yet.

    Reply
  166. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:46 PM

    Hey ah pek,
    It’s still a little early here. It’s only nearing 9pm

    Reply
  167. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:46 PM

    Hi rick, hi joe, hi ben…

    Joe… in fact, I do. We used to sing it all the time back on the ship…

    Reply
  168. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:48 PM

    Grog is good, Ben. Tonic may be tough to find in the larder, though.

    Reply
  169. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:48 PM

    Why is Douglas out of place? Is he not a pirate?

    Reply
  170. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:48 PM

    Did y’all know that piracy is alive and well today? (and I’m talking about open water, boarders away and all that too.)

    Reply
  171. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:49 PM

    I actually am a pirate. The name of my no longer personal updated personal blog has a named with pirates in it. 😛

    Reply
  172. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:49 PM

    I want tenure too – can I have it?

    Reply
  173. Ben Yoskovitz says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:49 PM

    Hhmmm…no tonic eh? Dang y’all!

    Alright, I gotta jet for now. I may pop up in a couple hours but I need to look at something other than a computer screen for awhile.

    If anyone knows a good caricature artist that could draw me a donkey, please get in touch (byosko@gmail.com). It’s for the Fawlty Towers DVD Collection Viral Project…

    Reply
  174. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:49 PM

    Hey ah pek,
    Still a good 1 1/2 to 2 hours left in me.

    @ Douglas, No one is out of place here, if you don’t like pirates, just start talking about whatever you like, someone will join in…
    😉

    Reply
  175. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:50 PM

    Hey! There’s a picture of me bathing on ah Pek’s website. I guess that was just after I got off the pirate ship…

    hi ah Pek!

    Reply
  176. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:51 PM

    Douglas and Trisha,
    You can both be professors if you like with full tensure. What would you want to be professors of?

    Reply
  177. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:52 PM

    G’night, Ben. Sorry about the tonic. The voyage has been long and the water’s gone bad.

    Reply
  178. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:52 PM

    Joe,
    How many comments is 1 1/2 hours?
    I think I’m making you official Treasurer and CFO of Successful-Blog University.

    Reply
  179. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:54 PM

    Ben,
    Take some tonic from the sidebar — there’s always plenty of every beverage there. And feel better. Tell that Donkey to get the coding done. We miss his drooling.

    Reply
  180. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:54 PM

    See you later, Ben.

    Reply
  181. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:54 PM

    Peter Blake two time America’s cup winner was killed by pirates off of the Brazillian coast in 2001.

    The Malacca Strait is classified a warzone by Lloyd’s of London because of piracy.

    And that’s not to mention what is going on off the coast of Somalia these days.

    Reply
  182. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:55 PM

    Doug,
    What was the name of your “no longer personal updated personal blog”?

    Reply
  183. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:55 PM

    Liz, I think I got Askimeted. Too many links in my last comment. Sorry. 😳

    Reply
  184. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:56 PM

    Liz, how about customer service? 😛 I also know about web hosting.

    Reply
  185. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:58 PM

    Christine, What did you say back there on comment 175???

    Reply
  186. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:58 PM

    Sir Doug, Professor of Customer Service and Web Hosting? That means you’ll have to deal with the telcos.

    Reply
  187. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:59 PM

    i was being funny?

    Reply
  188. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:59 PM

    Telcos? I’d rather deal with the pirates!

    Reply
  189. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:59 PM

    Poor Doug. He has to deal with the real landlubber pirates.

    Reply
  190. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 8:59 PM

    Yeah, Chris, I saw that too.

    What did you say Christine. How did Ah Pek get your picture?

    Reply
  191. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:00 PM

    no no no. i really was just joking!

    Reply
  192. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:00 PM

    I just didn’t want you to think we didn’t notice you slipping another comment there at the bottom of the page. 😉

    Reply
  193. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:01 PM

    Hey, I thought maybe Ah Pek had a bootlegged copy of a picture off a pirated disk. heh-heh

    Reply
  194. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:01 PM

    I should do some more work on a post and publish it tonight. Hmm…I chose a huge topic and my perfectionism’s driving me nuts. It’s for writers — about how to do your homework before finding an agent. A subject big enough for a whole book. I just have to keep reminding myself that it’s just a blog entry to suggest some ideas, not a definitive guide. I’m almost finished it, though. I just have to make a few tweaks, put it in perspective, and click “Publish.”

    Reply
  195. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:01 PM

    Liz,
    the 23 comments it took for the beer run = 15 minutes. Just multiply 23 x 6 or 8 and you get your answer. 😉

    @ Ben, If you haven’t left yet try this guy Dave, He has cartoons for Blogs, so he may be able to help Milton get his picture took.
    http://www.weblogcartoons.com/
    He does have contact info and all.
    J.

    Reply
  196. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:01 PM

    Arghhhh! You’re right about that, Rick.

    Those landlubber pirates are nasty breed.

    Reply
  197. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:01 PM

    I don’t know, Liz. That looks like to high quality to be a bootleg copy…

    Reply
  198. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:02 PM

    no…that’s DEFINITELY not me in that photo.

    Reply
  199. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:03 PM

    Notice how many water terms have been taken into computing – pirate, bootleg, surf,..

    I ran out. Anyone have any more.

    Reply
  200. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:04 PM

    She is a VERY nice looking lady. Ah Pek could make some money with that picture. Imagine what he could do if she were holding a crayon.

    Reply
  201. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:04 PM

    Cuileann… could you make it into sort of a series? It sound interesting to me. (Hi, by the way.)

    Reply
  202. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:04 PM

    Yeah, we have to deal indirectly with telcos. That’s more at a datacenter level. We have a big cage in a large datanceter.

    Reply
  203. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:04 PM

    Oh, Christine. Now your modeling secret’s out.

    How much you willing to pay to keep it just between us??

    Reply
  204. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:05 PM

    Cuileann,
    Why not change the title to “One Thing to Get You Started Before You Send Your Book Off.”

    Reply
  205. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:06 PM

    Hey, is there an ending time for this? Just curious about whether I can go and finish this post and come back to the mic being still “open” (though I know the folks around it may have changed).

    Reply
  206. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:06 PM

    Doug,
    That data cage idea. That just ensured your tenure. You’re in forever.

    Reply
  207. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:06 PM

    Chris, Clearly as you can see in the photo, I’m very okay with my modeling career and all that it reveals. I will pay you nothing. (In fact, that photo could increase my visits!)

    Reply
  208. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:07 PM

    Cuileann,
    You’ve got at least an hour and a half, probably 2 hours.

    Reply
  209. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:07 PM

    The cages could come in useful when dealing with the Telcos too!

    Reply
  210. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:08 PM

    Christine,
    The photo is a Ah Pek’s blog. It’s going to increase HIS visits.

    Reply
  211. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:08 PM

    It’s a cage with a lot of blade servers in it.

    Reply
  212. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:09 PM

    Oh Doug,
    Blade servers. The image is too beautiful!

    Reply
  213. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:09 PM

    I think I’d like it better if it was a little less green of you. It feels a little too Star Trek for me. I guess I’m no Captain Kirk, eh?

    Reply
  214. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:09 PM

    You’re right Liz. I gotta re-think my porn career.

    Reply
  215. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:10 PM

    ‘What would you want to be professors of?’

    I don’t know – of everything?

    Reply
  216. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:10 PM

    With signs that say “DON’T FEED THE ANIMALS” and “NO THEY SOUND LIKE THEY SPEAK ENGLISH, BUT IT REALLY IS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE AND THE WORDS MEAN SOMETHING DIFFERENT”

    I know, I know. Long for a sign, but short for a wireless contract.

    Reply
  217. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:10 PM

    Telco Cage Match, Pirate Style!

    Give each telco CEO a hook (cut their hand off first) and an eye patch and let them duke it out in a double elimination cage match!

    Reply
  218. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:11 PM

    Christine,
    Stick around here. We’ll set you straight.

    Speaking of which, where is Vander Well?

    Reply
  219. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:11 PM

    Complete with blade servers. I bet we could sell tickets. Maybe even get a juicy pay-per-view contract!

    Reply
  220. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:12 PM

    I have to go too, if I can I’ll stop by again later.

    Sorry for not being very talkative tonight.

    Reply
  221. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:12 PM

    Lady Trisha, Professor of Everything. I could go for that!

    Reply
  222. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:13 PM

    Rick, Doug, and Anton,
    The Telco Triplets, The Conquering Cagers.

    Reply
  223. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:13 PM

    The winner of the telco cage match can go up against the cable company winner next week!

    Reply
  224. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:13 PM

    And there could be a webcast hosted on the servers in the cage. That’d be ironic.

    Reply
  225. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:14 PM

    Bye, Trisha. Have a good night.

    Reply
  226. Cat says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:14 PM

    Morning all!!

    Pirates … pirates … I lived on Borneo for nine years where there are pirates even today.

    From what I read in the Borneo Bulletin, apparently they’d come over through the Sulu sea from the Philippines and raid small boats and those laden with goods.

    In this BBC article, they are calling them ‘maritime muggers’ but they are pirates all the same …

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/asia-pacific/4350881.stm

    cat

    Reply
  227. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:14 PM

    No worries, Trisha. I’m just glad to know we didn’t scare you away.

    Reply
  228. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:14 PM

    I like Professor of Everything too! Or maybe it should be Professor of Life, the Universe and Everything?

    Reply
  229. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:14 PM

    Cager=mania

    Reply
  230. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:15 PM

    Yeah, but the losing company would block their customer’s access to the sites carying the event…

    Reply
  231. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:15 PM

    Curleann, what Liz meant was there a good 132 to 276 comments left until we all go sleepy-bye

    Reply
  232. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:15 PM

    Professor 42

    Reply
  233. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:16 PM

    Doesn’t AT&T own Comcast? They could be on both sides. Talk about biting your nose to spite your face!

    Reply
  234. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:16 PM

    So when I turn 42 – will I be the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything?

    Reply
  235. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:16 PM

    I can do Life, the Universe, and Everything. Sure, why not?

    Christine, Are you going to be a professor at Successful Blog University?

    You all can be professors. Joe you can do that with your other duties.

    Reply
  236. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:17 PM

    Christine could be the professor of modeling and the arts. *giggle*

    Reply
  237. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:18 PM

    Hi Christine,

    I’m glad it sounds interesting. This post is part of a series based on the Writers League of Texas Agent and Editor Conferences (I’ve been to 3) and what I’ve learned about the process from trying to find an agent for my novel, Consumption. I wrote a general post about the conference, then one about writers and blogging, then there’ll be this one (hopefully tonight) about researching agents, then one titled “How to Write a Query Letter,” and, finally, one titled “Let’s Get Married: The Agent/Author Relationship.”

    Are you into writing too?

    Reply
  238. Trisha says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:18 PM

    ok, I have to go for real this time. Bye everyone!

    Reply
  239. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:19 PM

    Rick, AT&T owns everything.

    Reply
  240. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:20 PM

    Anton,
    You haven’t met Christine. She’s a famous singer. Check out her website and her blog.

    Christine Kane

    Reply
  241. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:20 PM

    Good night, Trisha!

    Reply
  242. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:21 PM

    Good Night, Trisha,
    Take care of Life, the Universe, and Everything!

    Reply
  243. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:23 PM

    Liz, have you checked out your MyBlogLog.com account lately?

    Reply
  244. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:24 PM

    Hey, Chris
    I didn’t know I had a MyBlogLog.com account until you just told me.

    Reply
  245. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:24 PM

    Nite Trisha

    Reply
  246. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:25 PM

    I didn’t know you had one either until they just unleashed the whole community thing this week. They are going in the web 2.0 direction. I think it is pretty cool.

    Reply
  247. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:26 PM

    Hi Cat!!
    Sorry I missed you earlier.
    You guys look up at all of the neat stuff Cat brought about pirates at # 226.

    Reply
  248. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:26 PM

    Hey Christine,

    I just saw your blog — it’s awesome. I’ll definitely do some more reading there.

    Yeah, I guess with music, you’d have lots of interest in/interactions with agents, too.

    Reply
  249. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:27 PM

    Hi Everybody. I was browsing a few pages back before posting again – lots of interesting chat tonight!

    Like, you know .. how’s everybody doing, eh? (Canadian Accent)

    ~~~~~~~~
    Q. Why are pirates called pirates?
    A. They just AAAARRRRRRRR.

    Reply
  250. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:27 PM

    I guess I’d better use the MyBlogLog thing or close it.

    Reply
  251. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:27 PM

    Hello Christine!

    I’m listening to one of your audio files now. Sounds good!

    Reply
  252. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:28 PM

    oops. i disappeared and missed a lot. and now i must depart. cuileann, yes, I love reading about writing and all facets of people’s careers in writing. so, I’ll check out your blog tomorrow!

    Liz, I’ll be a professor. But I think I’d have to give up the modelling career. (did i scare Ah Pek away?)

    bye all! have a great night!

    Reply
  253. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:28 PM

    Christine,
    What’s the new plugin that let you organize your archives. That’s really cool.

    Reply
  254. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:28 PM

    oh! hi anton! Thanks! bye!

    Reply
  255. Christine Kane says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:29 PM

    liz, i’ll write you tomorrow and let you know all about it. it’s called “Clean Archives.” But it was kind of weird to set up.

    Reply
  256. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:29 PM

    Personally I like letting my readers know which links are popular. I thought they had a good thing going before . And now they’ve embraced the whole community concept in a big way. I’m all about that.

    Reply
  257. Douglas says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:30 PM

    I’m out. See everyone next week!

    Reply
  258. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:30 PM

    Nite Christine, sleep tight…

    Hey HART…

    Reply
  259. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:30 PM

    Hi HART!!
    Yeah, It’s been a fun night!

    We’ve drinking grog and eating oranges.

    Reply
  260. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:30 PM

    Good night, Christine.

    Reply
  261. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:31 PM

    Actually I’ve got to crash too. There is way too much to be done tomorrow.

    Thanks for the laughs!

    Reply
  262. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:31 PM

    Good night Christine!
    Thanks for the email promise

    Reply
  263. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:31 PM

    And good night, Douglas. See you next week.

    Reply
  264. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:32 PM

    Good night, Doug,
    Love those caged blade servers. 🙂

    Reply
  265. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:32 PM

    Nite Doug

    Reply
  266. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:33 PM

    Hey Chris,
    See you around the blog,
    Sleep well and tell the cats to let you sleep later.

    Reply
  267. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:33 PM

    Bye Christine!

    Everybody else — I’m going to jump out of the talk for a bit.

    I’m going to finish editing, get some balls (cannon balls, of course) and finally post this thing!

    I’ll drop back in a while…

    Reply
  268. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:34 PM

    So,
    Who’s here and have we beat this pireate thing to death?

    Reply
  269. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:34 PM

    Chris, not you too… Nite.

    One last question for you…
    What is Grog made from and why?

    Reply
  270. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:35 PM

    Joe,
    Do you already know the answer?

    Reply
  271. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:35 PM

    Liz (and Christine) ~wave .. regarding the Clean Archives plugin .. I’m also using it at my new site – but, actually using two of them.

    1. Clean Archives Reloaded

    Basically, it gives a count before the list.

    2. SRG Clean Archives

    That’s the same as the archives of Christine’s blog..

    See example at http://DogLvr.com/archives/

    NOW .. A gratuitious Pirate Joke:

    Q. What has 8 arms and 8 legs?
    A. Eight pirates!

    Reply
  272. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:36 PM

    I’m still here for a bit. If Chris is gone, I know a little about the grog.

    Reply
  273. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:37 PM

    Hi Joe … and everybody here! ~waving madly as I forgot to say that at first!!

    ~~~~ Another Joke

    A glum looking pirate walks into a bar with a pile of paper-towel on his head. He sits down at the bar and the bar-tender asks “What’s wrong?”

    The pirate replies, “Arrr. I’ve got a bounty on me head.”

    Reply
  274. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:38 PM

    Is this where we hang our heads in shock, Hart? 🙂

    Reply
  275. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:38 PM

    Grog was watered down rum that was rationed to sailors for a couple of reasons.

    1. Sailors like to drink
    2. It helped kill some of the nasties in the water and stretched the ship’s water supply.
    3. And once they figured out the scurvey thing, they would also squeeze lemons or limes into it to get the sailors their vitamin C becuase they would drink the alcohol, but sucking lemons, not so much.

    Reply
  276. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:38 PM

    Liz, Of course, no teacher asks a question without knowing the answer…

    You’re on Rick…

    Reply
  277. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:39 PM

    btw// what’s “grog” taste like?

    ~~ Another Pirate Joke:

    Q: What does a Dyslexic Pirate Say?
    A: RRAAAAAAAAAAA !

    Reply
  278. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:39 PM

    HART,
    I’m laughing too hard to comment. I think you must be part pirate.

    Reply
  279. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:41 PM

    Joe, my answer was comment # 275. And I do have to sign out now. Or it’ll be to Davey Jones’ locker with me!

    Reply
  280. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:41 PM

    My friends in Melbourne call all of their wine grog.

    Reply
  281. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:41 PM

    Joe, Chris got it. He’s had the benefit of a real career. I just have Navy Junior ROTC and Google.

    Reply
  282. Chris Cree says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:42 PM

    Rick, it may have been a nautical career, but I’m not sure how real it’s been yet.

    Liz, I’ll email you about my Chicago trip.

    Good night all!

    Reply
  283. Cat says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:42 PM

    Clean Archives looks great!

    For my new blog I’ll have my archives by subject rather then month. Hopefully there’s a similar plugin out there so it’s not done by hand.

    Similar to what MarketingProfs have done, showing the top posts in each subject, with the expanding list –>> http://www.marketingprofs.com/arch/index.asp

    Reply
  284. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:43 PM

    Rick,
    I’m not ignoring you. You seem to be holding your own in the conversation, I’m off to get more grog for everyone. It can taste like whatever you want it to.

    Reply
  285. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:43 PM

    Hi and Bye Douglas – if you are really going 🙂

    Rick .. I hope no one is “shocked” by my jokes and needs to hang anybody’s heads … I that that pirates AAAAAAAARRR the ones to push them off planks?

    ~~~ Okay .. one of only a few stupid pirate jokes left in my arsenal…

    Q. What do pirates drive?
    A. A Caaaarrh.

    Q. What do pirates fly?
    A. An Aaaarrhhhplane.

    Q. What do pirates sail?
    A. Their pirate ship….duh. (AAAARRRRRRR)

    Reply
  286. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:43 PM

    Good night, Chris. It’s beddy-bye time for me too. See you all next week.

    Reply
  287. Anton Olsen says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:46 PM

    Grog tastes like watered down rum. Think of what the Bacardi in your father’s liquer cabinet tasted like after your first high school party.

    They used half a pint of rum per quart of water so about 20% rum, 80% water. The rum was cheap alcohol and kept the ameobas and bacteria from thriving.

    Reply
  288. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:46 PM

    Shock – poor choice of words. I love puns. Shaking my head would be more accurate while laughing is more accurate.

    Reply
  289. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:47 PM

    And I can’t string two phrases together any more. “Shaking my head while laughing would be more accurate.”

    Reply
  290. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:48 PM

    Hey Liz,
    If you have a Professor of Piratology, I think it should go to Chris, waddya think?

    Reply
  291. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:49 PM

    Laughing is good for the soul Rick 🙂 But, so is sleeping, so if you are going .. G’nite.. I’ll keep up with the jokes as I can think of them! They’ll be here tomorrow…

    ~~~~~
    A pirate walks into a bar with a big wooden ship’s steering wheel attached to his belt buckle.

    The bartender says “Hey, buddy? What’s that for?”

    The pirate says “Arrr! It’s drivin’ me nuts!”

    Reply
  292. Rick says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:50 PM

    Good night, all.

    Reply
  293. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:52 PM

    Joe,
    I already made Chris that. He was the first professor I named.
    Good night Chris. We’ll catch up on your trip. I have one about the same time so we’ll have to coordinate.

    Reply
  294. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:52 PM

    Nite Rick…

    Reply
  295. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:52 PM

    Good night, Rick
    Thanks for coming.
    See you next week, I hope!

    Reply
  296. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:53 PM

    So Joe,
    What professor are you gonna be?

    Reply
  297. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:54 PM

    When we visited the USA (Fargo or Grand Forks) .. we would always stop at the duty-free and pick up (besides cig’s) Bacardi 151 Rum .. Yuuuuum ..

    Liz .. for archives .. there is also another one out there .. KG Archives

    That’s the plugin I use at http://PetLvr.com/blog/ .. because I like the posts to be organized by category by month. I think you can list the historical posts by month for only one category at a time (what i REALLY want) but, I have too many categories and just figured that what I have is the best configuration without trying to reinvent the wheel.

    ~~~~~ PS

    A little boy is trick or treatin’ on Halloween by himself. He is dressed as a pirate. At one house, a friendly man asks him, “Where are your buccaneers?” The little boy responds, “On either side o’ me ‘buccan’ head!”

    Reply
  298. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:55 PM

    I think, HART, you’re the professor of Comedy and Storytelling. Oh yes and of toast.

    Reply
  299. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:57 PM

    That’s baaad HART… *laughing uncontrolably*

    Reply
  300. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:58 PM

    Umm… timber me shivers … before you go and say .. The last time I heard those Pirate Jokes HART .. I fell of my dinosaur! … I got them all at the site:

    http://www.ratemypiratejoke.com/

    ~~~~~ Such as this one:

    One day a Pirate and a bartender were talking to each other in a bar. The Bartender asked the pirate “Where did ya get that peg leg from?”

    The Pirate responded “We were sailing the seas when a big ol shark came up to me while I was swimmin and bit off me leg.”

    Later the Bartender asked “Where did you get that hook then?”

    The pirate responded “Well, me crew and I were in a battle and it got cut through the bone.”

    The bartender then asked “Then where did ya get the eye patch from?”

    The pirate said “In a harbor I looked at a gull flying over head and it took a dump right in me eye.”

    The bartender was puzzled and asked the pirate, “How would that make you get an eye patch?”

    The pirate responded, “First day with the hook.”

    Reply
  301. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:58 PM

    I don’t know Liz, what did you say a couple of pages back. Counting comments?

    Reply
  302. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 9:59 PM

    Joe .. – that’s the end of my pirate jokes – you may now return to your regular Open night Mike chat! 🙂

    Reply
  303. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:01 PM

    HART,
    I can’t believe you’re done . . .

    Reply
  304. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:03 PM

    Weeeell .. never done – let’s just say “on a break”. BTW .. today’s my birthday. I posted birthday tunes on my blog and did the “born this day” thingy too .. (inspired from you!)

    Reply
  305. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:03 PM

    Sir Joseph, Professor of Commentology and Time Warps

    Reply
  306. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:05 PM

    HART!!
    The guy from My Friend Flicka!! How cool is that?

    Reply
  307. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:06 PM

    Flicka? which guy is that?

    Reply
  308. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:06 PM

    Yeah, I like that…
    Sir Joseph, Professor of Commentology and Time Warps. Kinda fits I’d say.

    Reply
  309. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:07 PM

    1922 Gene Evans Hollbrook Az, actor (My Friend Flicka, Matt Helm, Alamo)

    Reply
  310. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:08 PM

    Yeah, Joe, now if I can only remember them all. It’ll be a pain to go through all of these comments to find them. 🙂

    Reply
  311. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:09 PM

    Speaking of FlickR … I’m trying to downsize my server #1 to my server #2 .,. I’ve got about 600MB of wedding pictures, videos, misc amusing stuff etc. I also looked at the MySQL database and had a fit – I’m using about 10 different scripts over there.

    I was thinking I might get the FlickR wordpress plugin, pay for the premium account at FlickR $24.95 USD .. and between YouTube and Flickr .. less bandwidth, less space, …

    Is anybody actually using that flickr plugin? How’s it working out?

    Reply
  312. Scot Herrick says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:11 PM

    HART

    Happy birthday. I’m sure it is a pleasure to finally be old enough to drink the grog.

    I just dropped in to say hello and goodbye. Too much work and not enough fun. I’ll stick by for about ten minutes…

    Can a nuclear submarine be a pirate ship?

    Scot

    Reply
  313. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:12 PM

    oh THAT Flicka … // From that list .. the only thing I ever remember about what happened on my birthday is that Sir Lawrence Olivier died on it. Sad.

    Reply
  314. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:13 PM

    Hi Scot!
    Thanks for dropping.
    I think a nuclear sub is a pirate ship if it has pirates on it.

    Reply
  315. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:14 PM

    HART.
    It’s so cool to have you here for your birthday. Here, I made a cake for you. It’s your favorite.
    What’s your favorite anyway?

    Reply
  316. Joe says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:14 PM

    I think it was great
    being a Pirate for a night.
    It was a wonderful date
    but the hags were a freight.

    Now for the last bit of Grog
    and off to the head,
    with my head in a fog
    I’m off to bed.

    Berma Shave
    Nite Liz
    Nite All

    Reply
  317. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:15 PM

    Good night, Joe,
    I hope your workload gets a little lighter.
    Sweet dreams

    Reply
  318. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:15 PM

    Hi Scot .. thanks for wishes 🙂

    And, to answer your question – I don’t see why a nuke sub couldn’t be a pirate ship – it would have to strictly depend on what you do with it, or who’s commanding it.

    You would have to go around threatening innocent sailers and boaters and steal all their grog me thinks.

    Reply
  319. Scot Herrick says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:18 PM

    Liz,

    So we need a summary comment every 100 or so (Most people would give their hook away for 100 comments on a post and here we are looking for summaries…cheeeeeze!). Just so we can read three comments and jump in.

    Anyway, what’s the scoop on the code-writing donkey and the drinking moose tonight? I don’t want to go through 300+ comments to know the only thing I want to know…

    (nite, Joe…)

    Reply
  320. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:20 PM

    My favorite cake? I think that would have to be Jeannie’s Cake (which, is a Local Winnipeg institutional product here) .. it’s a banana chocolate dry cake with lots of icing and a thick crust bottom.

    The Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cakes are also good for birthdays .. especially after a steak BBQ dinner!

    But, really any cake with icing and your name spelled on it is good – anything less is just fat pastry you can eat any day really ~

    Reply
  321. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:20 PM

    Hey Scot,
    The donkey and the moose are turning into working stiffs and haven’t been showing up. Ben’s got the donkey coding all of the time and Steve’s got family and a new baby on the way.

    Most of tonight has been pirates with a short foray into a discussion about Christine’s fictious porn career that Chris and I made up.

    Reply
  322. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:22 PM

    (nite, Joe..)

    Liz .. I’ve also been trying to figure out what that donkey code is all about too! Although, I suspect it must have something to do with Joe and Ben ..(I could be wrong)

    Reply
  323. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:22 PM

    Great!!!
    I made you the last and bought the first two. Here you go. You’ve got enough to last you until the end of the week at least!

    Reply
  324. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:25 PM

    Fictitious career planning. Sounds like something us consultants do all the time! I mean, OTHER consultants .. not me oh no. I never make up things or tell stories. Never. Ever. Nope. No Sirree!

    Reply
  325. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:27 PM

    Oh no! Not me either. I was born with a complete lack of imagination. That’s why I’m so totally boring. . .

    Reply
  326. HART (1-800-HART) says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:51 PM

    * Taps on Mic .. is thing on?

    I’m still here lurking, if anybody is lurking .. but doing a little work in the background .. AAAAARRRRR

    Reply
  327. ME Strauss says

    July 11, 2006 at 10:52 PM

    I’m just swabbing the deck and such things. 🙂

    Reply
  328. Martin says

    July 12, 2006 at 1:45 AM

    (#268) not on your life – seeing I’m late let me have some fun…

    Ahoy there Me hearties, just pillaged me some rum from the rest of the booty … and Arrrr, Shiver me timbers! it’s over – I’m a marooned Buccaneer with not a single soul to share my grog and weevils with.

    Argh, I always come late … Hart, don’t go there; do so and you’re walking the plank 😉

    btw, Happy birthday.

    just skimming: a donkey, a moose, a porn career …

    Reply
  329. Cuileann McKenzie says

    July 12, 2006 at 4:07 AM

    Hi!

    I think I’m the last one here now.

    Hart — Happy Birthday! Sorry I missed saying it earlier.

    Well, I finally made that post a few minutes ago. Don’t worry — I didn’t stay up super-late for that. I really slept in today, so I had trouble getting to sleep.

    Cheers, Liz, for hosting another great open mic!
    And to everybody, good night, eh? I’ll talk to y’all next time!
    — Hybrid Language Girl
    (just referring back a couple hundred posts) : )

    Reply
  330. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2006 at 7:51 AM

    Hi Martin,
    So good to see you.
    Glad you got some of the grog and weevils!

    Reply
  331. ME Strauss says

    July 12, 2006 at 7:53 AM

    Lady Cuileann, Professor Hybrid Languages. That works for me! Thanks for coming. Yeah it was a fun one!

    Reply

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